The Practice of Meditation

In order to be fruitful, meditation should be practiced within a set of disciplines that give direction to one’s daily life.

The practice should be regular and systematic. Such practice works best within a community or group of people practicing the same disciplines together on a regular basis. Meditation is a difficult endeavor and is facilitated by communion with others.

Most religious traditions have such disciplines, so it is usually possible to find them within your tradition, if that is what would work for you.

There are also disciplines that can be practiced independent of all traditions.

I can only speak to and recommend one specific method of meditation: Passage Meditation.

I have practiced passage meditation as presented by Eknath Easwaran of the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation for three decades. It is not my purpose to describe this or any method meditation, but only to say that passage meditation, if practiced according to its instructions, is safe and powerful.

Part of the BMCM mission is to support people practicing passage meditation. Their website is the portal through which these resources may be accessed.

Just about everyone who is in their late teens or older can meditate using this method. While passage meditation is not recommended for younger folk, there are elements in the program they can practice until they reach an age when meditation is appropriate.

There are some people who for various reasons ought not to attempt meditation, so it is the responsibility of each individual to know their own capacities and limitations and they should consult with professional personnel if any doubt exists.

You can find all you need to know to start meditating on the BMCM website: www.easwaran.org. There are free materials available and other resources such as books, videos, retreats and information about fellowship groups.